Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Wednesday's Forecast
Light wind, negligible impact
Little wind or walking hardly affected by the wind, but feeling chilly if exposed on tops. 10-15mph or less.
Thunderstorm
Heavy or torrential downpours with hail, risk of thunder and lightning. Seek shelter where possible.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 8 to 12C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
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Light wind, negligible impact
Little wind or walking hardly affected by the wind, but feeling chilly if exposed on tops. 10-15mph or less.
Thunderstorm
Heavy or torrential downpours with hail, risk of thunder and lightning. Seek shelter where possible.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 8 to 12C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 2nd July 2025
Last updated
Tue 1st Jul 25 at
4:27PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Localised heavy bursts of rain for eastern Scotland & northern England early in the day, clearing eastwards, but over Cairngorms in particular, increasing risk afternoon of slow-moving heavy downpours forming, locally a thunderstorm. Western Scotland largely dry; increasingly sunny all western areas afternoon. Fresher for all.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Bursts of rain early, risk thundery downpours later. Light wind.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 10 to 15mph or less in morning. Sudden gusts before or during rain. Toward evening, generally increasing to 15-20mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Mostly small
How Wet?
Heavy showers, risk isolated thunder
Remnants of showers from overnight leave patches of rain into morning, some heavy bursts toward east fade. Scattered showers then developing, mainly mid-late afternoon onward, local heavy bursts moving around slowly, greatest risk east & northeastern areas toward evening, an isolated thunderstorm possible.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied then clearing, lowering in showers
Varied cloud banks over the hills in the morning, lifting above the tops. Where showers form, cloud banks re-forming over tops, local patches lower down, to forest canopies upward during and after heavy rain.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80% by late morning, dropping to 50% later.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Patchwork of sun and cloud spreads from west during morning as high cloud in east thins, then cloud bubbling up and filling in. Visibility excellent.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7 to 10C.
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Thursday 3rd July 2025
Last updated
Tue 1st Jul 25 at
4:27PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 20 to 30mph, tending to strengthen, later 35mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Starting to affect comfortable walking over higher terrain, particularly exposed Cairngorms tops. Feeling rather cool.
How Wet?
Occasional rain, becoming wetter west
Patchy rain develops, most common near and west of the A9, some showery bursts mixed in, becoming more frequent with time, or fairly persistent toward west.
Cloud on the hills?
Lowering over tops, particularly west
Capping tops above 900 to 1100m, lowering across western Cairngorms to Drumochter in rain. Breaks to higher tops best in morning toward the east.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
70% east, dropping to 30% west.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Mostly cloudy, glimpses of sun north/east. Visibility very good, reducing where rain occurs, locally poor at times.
How Cold? (at 900m)
7 or 8C, marginal rise during day.
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 4th July 2025
Last updated
Tue 1st Jul 25 at
4:27PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 40 to 50mph, to 60mph higher Cairngorms; peak speeds may start to lessen later in daytime.
Effect of the wind on you?
Difficult conditions over the mountains, mobility challenging and gusts could knock you off your feet. Significant wind chill.
How Wet?
Rain most persistent toward west
Often spots of rain in the wind at least, but pulses of steady rain more frequently near and west of the A9, risk often raining toward Ben Alder. Drier for periods toward the northeast Cairngorms NP.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive higher areas
Shrouding higher mountains most or all day, cloud bases 800 to 1000m, lowest near and west of the A9. Some higher breaks mostly furthest east.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
30%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Largely cloudy, glimpses of weak sun easternmost areas at times. Visibility good below cloud, though a haze, reduced to poor in rain.
How Cold? (at 900m)
8 or 9C, small rise during day. Feeling near -5C in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits
Planning Outlook
By Thursday, west to southwesterly winds increase for Scotland, with frequent showery rain and low cloud returning into the Highlands from the west. Friday brings heavier rain to western Scotland and gales over higher terrain for Scotland and possibly northern England, rain extending further south with time. The weekend looks unsettled with low pressure bringing heavy showery rain widely, risk isolated thunder. Next week maintains a mixed westerly regime with greatest risk of rain toward northwest Scotland, drier and warmer further south and east.